Dear Representative,
On behalf of our affiliated unions representing hundreds of thousands of workers who build, operate, and maintain our nation’s transportation networks, the Transportation Trades Department, AFL-CIO (TTD), urges you to vote NO on Amendment #19 in the upcoming NDAA Reauthorization Bill (H.R. 3838 Streamlining Procurement for Effective Execution and Delivery and National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2026) tomorrow evening.
Voting against this amendment would help protect the collective bargaining rights of civilian Department of Defense (DOD) employees. The dedicated individuals working at the DOD perform a variety of essential functions that uphold our national security interests and keep Americans safe at home. These workers are stationed at military installations across the country, where they maintain and repair military equipment for our servicemen and women.
This workforce includes aircraft mechanics, maintenance workers for submarines and ships, and personnel who oversee the upkeep and overhauling of naval vessels at shipyard facilities. Their responsibilities include maintaining a wide range of equipment, including ships, weapons systems, aircraft, helicopters, and Humvees. This workforce also includes civilian mariners who work aboard Military Sealift Command vessels and who operate and maintain both government-owned and privately-owned ships for national defense. The men and women who crew these ships provide vital support to the U.S. Navy and to American troops deployed around the world by transporting fuel, food, ammunition, and cargo whenever and wherever needed by the Department of Defense. Additionally, this workforce includes men and women who work on dredging vessels for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, who maintain our ports and waterways.
Federal workers already sacrifice many rights that private-sector employees enjoy, including the ability to negotiate wages and benefits and the fundamental right to strike. We firmly believe that all employees deserve workplace protections such as fair pay, equitable treatment, protection against retaliation, whistleblower protections, health and safety standards, and due process in grievance and disciplinary matters. These rights are essential for effectively addressing workplace conflicts, improving employee retention and productivity, and boosting morale.
We urge you to stand with working people and vote to protect the collective bargaining agreements for the dedicated men and women working at the Department of Defense who contribute vital services to our country.
For any questions or further information, please contact Lianne Endo at LianneE@ttd.org.
Sincerely,
Greg Regan, President
Transportation Trades Department, AFL-CIO